Commercial Fishing Vessel Master Sentenced

PRINCE RUPERT, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jan. 8, 2015) - A Prince Rupert commercial fisherman has been fined $3,000 after pleading guilty in Prince Rupert Provincial Court to a serious violation of the Fisheries Act. In addition to the fine, Michael Andrew Bullock was ordered to forfeit his landed catch of chinook salmon, valued at $10,791.

On June 26, 2014, Mr. Bullock, while skippering the vessel HOPEFULL, contravened the conditions of his licence by failing to have his catch validated by an observer when off-loading from the Area F troll fishery.

Quick Facts

Catch validation in this fishery is mandatory and must be performed dockside by a service provider approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

A comprehensive risk‐based monitoring and catch reporting program is essential for evaluating and reporting a fishery's progress towards long‐term sustainability.

Accurate data reporting is integral to the management of British Columbia's fisheries, and comprehensive monitoring and reporting systems can help to maintain or improve access to fishing opportunities for harvesters, coastal communities and other stakeholders.

A robust monitoring and catch reporting system across all Pacific fisheries inspires increased public confidence, fosters collaborative management, and supports an ecosystem approach.

The Government of Canada is committed to safeguarding the long-term health and productivity of Canada's fisheries resources, and the habitat that supports them, for generations to come. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a mandate to protect and conserve marine resources and to prosecute offenders under the Fisheries Act. It ensures and promotes compliance with the Act and other laws and regulations through a combination of land, air, and sea patrols, as well as education and awareness activities.

As part of Fisheries and Oceans Canada's work to end illegal activity, the Department asks the public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and regulations. Anyone with information can call the toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336.